There Are Few Reasons
by Skye Coulson
Summary: The Chitauri Virus strikes New York, inadvertantly reuniting Richard Castle with his long-lost daughter. Agents of SHIELD/Castle crossover. Please read and review!
1. Choose Your Battles

**There Are Few Reasons**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always, I own absolutely nothing with the exception of Agent Richelle Rogers and Carlyssa Matthews.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Family/Drama

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Katy Perry "Choose Your Battles"

**Author's Note:  
><strong>A friend of mine on YouTube wanted a Castle/Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. crossover. So, here it is! Also, this story was partially inspired by a quote from Carlos Ruiz Zafón, _The Shadow of the Wind_ .  
>"There are few reasons for telling the truth, but for lying, the number is infinite."<p>

* * *

><p><span>Choose Your Battles<span>

* * *

><p><em>Oh, this is not a competition | So baby why the ammunition | I don't wanna be the last one standing<em>

_Choose your battles, babe | Then, you'll win the war | Stop diggin' your own grave | When there's so much to live for  
><em>

_Choose your battles, babe | 'Cause I'm not fighting, any more | I am not fighting, any more_

* * *

><p>"Whaddo we got?" Detective Kate Beckett asked as she arrived onto the scene in Central Park where a body had been reported.<p>

"Do my eyes deceive me?!" Her partner and fiance, famous author, Richard Castle, asked as his eyes widened in excitement. "Wait a minute..." He added, eyes widening in horrified recognition. "I know that..."

"Body floating in mid-air?" Medical examiner, Dr. Lanie Parrish asked, finishing the excited author's thoughts as she continued to visually check the body, careful not to disturb any potential evidence. "Ow!" She hissed, instinctively holding her injured thumb to her mouth to soothe the searing pain in the aforementioned fingertip. "Damn!" She added, curiously, as she watched the body drop to the ground as she touched it.

"What?" Detective Beckett asked, curiously, observing the medical examiner's behavior.

"The body **shocked **me!" The doctor exclaimed, still stunned. That had never happened before. She'd never been shocked by a dead body, before.

"COD the bullet-hole in her head?!" Detective Javier Esposito wondered, as he arrived on the scene.

"That's not a GSW." Lanie corrected, shaking out her wounded thumb as she set back to work.

"You're kidding me, right?" Javier snorted, disbelievingly. "That's an exit wound if I ever saw one..." He declared, smugly.

"Nobody's arguin' you, on that one." Lanie snapped. "But, have you noticed the conspicuous lack of an _entry_ wound?"

"We'll take it from here." Kate, Richard, Javier, and Lanie all snapped their heads up the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Well...unfamiliar to all but one of them.

"Richelle?" Richard Castle asked, stunned. _What the hell is _she _doing here?_ He wondered, confused by the sudden appearance of the daughter he hadn't seen in the better part of three decades. Sure, he'd spoken with her via letters and phonecalls and the occasional video-chat, when she was in her teens. But, after he and his mother had given her up for adoption when he was only sixteen, he hadn't actually seen her in person again, until that very moment.

"Actually, it's Agent Richelle Rogers to you, dad." Richelle replied with a completely unreadable countenance. Truthfully, she had been dreading the reunion with her birth father. It wasn't that the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent hadn't wanted to see her father. She just wasn't crazy about the circumstances. "With S.H.I.E.L.D." She finished, keeping her voice strong and professional.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Detective Kevin Ryan questioned, finally arriving on the crime scene. Turning to his colleagues, he apologized. "Sorry I'm late, guys...Had to drop Sarah off at the babysitter's." Turning back to the tall brunette next to Castle, he asked. "What's S.H.I.E.L.D. doin' here?"

"Well, as I was just about to explain to my father..." Richelle began, her voice disturbingly clinical. Richard knew this wasn't Richelle speaking, rather, Agent Rogers as she had introduced herself. "We're taking jurisdiction on this one." She finished as Jemma began trying to prep the body for transport. "Agent Ward..." She nodded to the specialist as he merely responded with a curt nod before stepping around the body to stand on the other side of Lanie.

"Dr. Parrish?" He offered, lightly gripping the medical examiner's upper arm in his black-gloved hand.

"Get your paws off me, boy!" Lanie snapped, jerking out of his grasp. "And, you!" She snapped, directing her attention to Jemma. "Get away from my dead body! Hey!" She finished, as she noticed that Agent Ward had taken advantage of her momentary distraction and secured her hands behind her back and began leading her back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV.

"Hey!" Kate, Richard, Javier and Kevin all called out as they made to rescue their friend and colleague from the strange Agent that had taken her, only to be stopped after just a few steps. Richelle had physically restrained her father while Phil had gone after Kate, May had taken the Latino detective and Skye had taken it upon herself to go after the runt of the litter, Kevin Ryan.

"I'm sorry, dad, but this is for Lanie's own good." Richelle insisted, finally releasing her father once Grant had secured the medical examiner in one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.

"Yeah, not to mention the rest of you guys, too..." Skye added, releasing Detective Ryan from her surprisingly strong grip.

"What gives, 'Chelle?" Richard snapped.

"Yeah!" Kate interjected. "Just who the hell do you guys think you are, anyway?!" She demanded, angrily.

"You better release Lanie, immediately!" Javier hissed, venomously, as he stepped directly into Richelle's personal space. To her credit, the younger senior agent remained steeled-calm, cool, and collected as ever. The detective's threat not phasing her in the slightest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Phil warned, watching Richelle with an amused expression on his face.

"Or you'll what?" Javier taunted, snidely. "Whatchyou gonna do, old man?!" He added, baiting Phil even further.

"Oh, I'm not gonna do a thing..." Phil added, smirking wildly, as he fought with every ounce of self-restraint he had to withhold a chuckle.

Before Detective Esposito could enjoy his victory in making Phil back down, he soon found it rather difficult to breathe as he suddenly registered the fact that he was on the ground, staring dumbly up at the sky with a steel-toe boot on his chest, holding him in place. "Anyone else?" Richelle asked, a viciously taunting smile firmly in place as she glanced around the group of detectives and her father, challengingly. "No?" She asked, cheekily. "Didn't think so." She added, finally allowing Esposito to get back on his feet.

"Now, back to Detective Beckett's question." Richelle added, changing the subject, holding up a hand to silence any questions about how she knew who Kate was. "As I said, before, I'm Agent Richelle Rogers. This is my partner, Agent Phil Coulson. And, our team...Special Agent Grant Ward-whom you all watched take Dr. Parrish into custody-Agents Melinda May..." She paused to indicate the stoic Asian agent. "Leo Fitz." The younger senior agent added, gesturing to the Caucasian agent assisting Jemma in prepping the body to be transported back to the Bus. "Jemma Simmons." Furthering her introductions, Richelle gestured to the bio-chemist who looked up to acknowledge the new faces before returning to her previous task. "And, finally...last but most **definitely** _not _least, S.H.I.E.L.D.-agent-in-training Skye." Richelle finished, acknowledging the young hacker. "As for what we're doing here, wee are taking over this investigation."

"On whose authority?" Kate asked, challengingly. She wasn't about to let some strange suits waltz in and steal their investigation right out from under them.

"Mine." The entire group turned to see a tall, broad, African-American man cloaked in a black, leather trench coat with a black eye patch over his left eye. "Nick Fury," The man introduced himself with a colder, more stoic countenance than any of the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "_Director _of S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury added, leaving no room for argument.

"Where the hell'd you come from?" Castle asked, startled by the Director's sudden appearance.

"That's classified." Fury replied, cryptically. "All you need to know is that the NYPD is _hilariously _under-prepared to deal with this type of investigation." He added.

"Hey!" Kevin interjected, only to be silenced by the numerous death-glares from the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

"As for Dr. Parrish..." Coulson interjected, calmly. "I can assure you, she's in no trouble."

"Then, why the hell'd your little lapdog haul her ass off in handcuffs?!" Detective Esposito demanded, harshly.

"Agent Ward only restrained Dr. Parrish for her own protection." Coulson assured the Latino detective. "As well as his."

"Why are you takin' our case?" Kevin asked, accusingly.

"Because, as Director Fury pointed out..." Richelle replied, jumping into the fray. "The NYPD doesn't have the resources to handle this particular investigation."

"And, S.H.I.E.L.D. does?" Castle questioned, attempting to piece the puzzle together in a way that made sense.

"Actually, Mr. Castle..." Agent May injected, finally. "We do."

"You still haven't addressed the 'why'." Detective Beckett pointed out. "What makes you so certain we're under-qualified to deal with this."

"Because this problem is far bigger than you know, Detective Beckett." Coulson explained, without really explaining anything.

"Now, dad..." Richelle added, softening her voice and attempting to make her approach more personable. "You stated, previously, that you knew the victim." She added, getting back to work. "We're gonna need her name so that we can track down anyone she may have come into contact with in the last couple of days."

"Gee..." Esposito snapped, sarcastically. "Why didn't we think a that? Guess you all really _are_ better than us..."

Agent Rogers chose not to go after the detective's bait, choosing to simply roll her eyes, and refocus her attention on her father. "Dad, what can you tell us about her?"

"A-all, I know is that she was a friend of Alexis'..." Richard explained, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous under the intense stares from the various S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "Her name was Carlyssa Matthews." He elaborated.

"And, do you know if she's had any contact with Alexis within the last forty-eight hours?" Agent Rogers questioned, making notes of any pertinent information.

"They met for lunch, yesterday." Richard replied.

"We're gonna need to bring her in, as well, then." Richelle deduced. Glancing over at her father and the detectives, she knew they would need more to go on before they openly trusted her with Alexis in their custody. Turning to her partner, Richelle added "I believe it would be beneficial, for us, if we read them in..." She suggested.

Knowing his partner the way that Phil Coulson did, he knew when to trust her gut instincts. After all, they were what had carried through S.H.I.E.L.D. as she soared through the ranks to become the youngest senior agent in the agency's history; reaching Level Eight clearance three years ago at only twenty-five. And, her instincts had yet to fail them. "Very well." He replied, finally.

"Thank you, Phil." Richelle smiled gratefully. She knew it took a lot for her partner to trust her father and his partner with the intel on the Chitauri Virus. And, she knew it spoke volumes of his trust in her. "Dad, Kate...If the two of you will accompany us back to our mobile command center, we will tell you everything that we can about this investigation."

"How come only _they _get to know what the hell's goin' on?" Javier questioned, petulantly.

"Because Mr. Castle is Alexis' father, and therefore, has a right to know why his daughter is being brought in for questioning." Coulson injected, defending his partner's decision.

"And, Detective Beckett is my father's fiance." Richelle reasoned. "That makes them family, in my book, and makes Kate just as responsible for Alexis as my dad. Therefore, giving her equal rights to understand why Alexis is being questioned." She elaborated.

"That's bullshit." Javier insisted. "We're a team. We all got a right-"

"Not as far as S.H.I.E.L.D. is concerned, Detective Esposito." Coulson warned, sharply. "Say what you will...But, unless you are a direct blood or legal relative of Ms. Castle, you have no say in this matter."

After a tense staring match, Richard turned to the rest of the group. "Guys, I'm...really sorry...But, this is my _daughter _we're talking about. I need to know why they need to speak with her." He reasoned, hoping Esposito and Ryan would see reason back off.

Sighing heavily, Ryan replied "Doesn't mean we have to like it."

"No one's asking you to _like _it, Detective Ryan." Richelle replied, sarcastically.

"Oh good!" Kevin replied, mirroring Agent Rogers' snarky banter. "Then, they won't be disappointed!"

"Let's just get this over with, shall we?" Kate asked, ushering Richard, Richelle & Phil and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team away from her own team before things got any more heated.

"Indeed, we shall." Coulson replied, warmly, as Richard and Kate joined them on the journey back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.

* * *

><p>"Not too shabby." Richard observed, taking in the sight of the Bus as he and Kate stepped on-board. "Very nice."<p>

"Castle!" Kate hissed. "Focus!"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Richard replied, getting back to business as he and Kate followed Phil and Richelle into the conference room.

"So, now that we've demonstrated our trust in you and your team by accompanying you to your...mobile...command center..." Kate began, searching for answers. "Would you mind, very much, telling us why?"

"Carlyssa Matthews wasn't murdered." Richelle replied, immediately drawing the attention of her own team as well as her father and Kate, as she dove straight into the heart of the matter. "I'm sorry for being so blunt, but, time is hardly on our side." She explained as she loaded their previous data on the Chitauri Virus onto the main screen before them. "Carlyssa Matthews was a victim of what we have ever-so-affectionately dubbed 'The Chitauri Virus'. This is an alien virus brought to the planet by the Chitauri Aliens-"

"You mean the aliens that attacked New York all those months ago?" Kate interjected, questioningly.

"Yes, Kate." Richelle replied, warmly. "The virus is transmitted from person-to-person via electric shock." She explained. "Anyone that Ms. Matthews has had physical contact with during the last thirty-eight hours before her death could potentially be infected. It's also extremely efficient, running its course within a mere thirty-eight hours. That's why it's so imperative that we bring Alexis in for questioning. If infected, her body will emit an electromagnetic pulse capable of-not only killing her-but, also wiping out an entire city block." Richelle added, her eyes softening as she turned to her father. "If she _has _been infected, we can help her. Agent Simmons has devised an anti-serum which will cure the virus. We can prevent her from suffering the same fate as Ms. Matthews." She elaborated, covering her father's hand with her own. "Plus, we also need to know if she could shed some light on anyone else Carlyssa may have come into contact with."

Glancing around the room, Skye voiced a seemingly random question. "Guys...not to change the subject or anything, but...Where's Ward?" She asked, curiously, noting the specialist's conspicuous absence. "And May, for that matter..." She amended, noting that their mysterious pilot was M.I.A. as well.

"Let go of me!" They all turned to see Agent Ward escorting a very disgruntled young, red-head to The Cage. "I said, let me GO!" She insisted, as she continued to struggle against the specialist's grip.

"Agent. Ward." Richelle spat, angrily. Grant froze when he saw a murderous glare unlike any other he had ever seen in the senior agent's eyes. "Un. Hand. My. Sister!" Richelle growled, stalking across the room toward the specialist and his asset as she immediately ran into the senior agent's waiting black-gloved arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**So? Whadda y'all think?! I hope ya like my new little offering. I haven't decided on any pairings, yet, just 'cause I don't know if I'm gonna add any romance to the story. So far, what I have in mind is more of a family drama type thing. But, we'll see where things go...

-Skye Coulson


	2. We Only Got Four Minutes

**There Are Few Reasons**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always, I own nothing except for Agent Richelle Rogers and Carlyssa Matthews.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Family/Drama

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Glee Cast "4 Minutes"

* * *

><p><span>We Only Got Four Minutes to Save the World<span>

* * *

><p><em>Time is wasting | We only got four minutes to save the world | No hesitating | Grab a boy | Grab a girl | Time is wasting | We only got four minutes to save the world | No hesitating | We only got four minutes, four minutes<em>

* * *

><p><em>Last time, on "There Are Few Reasons"<em>

* * *

><p><em>"Agent. Ward." Richelle spat, angrily. Grant froze when he saw a murderous glare unlike any other he had ever seen in the senior agent's eyes. "Un. Hand. My. Sister!" Richelle growled, stalking across the room toward the specialist and his asset as she immediately ran into the senior agent's waiting, black-gloved arms.<em>

* * *

><p>"What the hell is <em>wrong <em>with you?!" Richelle demanded, as she calmed her younger half-sister in her arms as she glared daggers at the specialist.

"I don't know?" Grant offered, dumbly, puzzled as to why the younger senior agent was so angry with him. "You said we needed to talk to her, too?"

"Yes, Grant." Richelle spat, as she guided her finally calm sister into a nearby chair before returning her focus to the specialist. "'_**Talk**_'. Not '_kidnap_'!" She corrected, angrily.

"I didn't kidnap her!" Ward insisted, defensively.

"The hell he didn't!" Alexis interjected, leaping to her feet only to be shoved back into her seat by her older, half-sister.

"Oh, come on, Grant!" Richelle snapped. "We all remember how you brought Skye in!" She added with a half-glare at Phil who merely shrugged. "You really expect me to believe you wouldn't do the _exact _same thing to Alexis?! We're a _team_, Ward. I know that concept's a little foreign to you, but, I really thought you were starting to get the hang of it-"

"Hey, I-" Grant interjected, whining defensively, before being cut off by the furious senior agent.

"Not done!" Richelle snapped. "Yes, I said we needed to talk to Alexis! But, you should have consulted with the rest of us, first, before going off on some half-ass tangent and bringing her in, yourself!" The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent shouted. "You should have let me handle it! Alexis knows me and trusts me! I could have made her feel safe, rather than **threatened**!"

"I'm also sitting right here!" Alexis interrupted, petulantly. "I'd very much appreciate it if you guys would stop talking about me like I'm not even in the room."

Richelle and Grant both had to admit that Alexis had a point. It wasn't right for them to be discussing her the way they were. Sighing lightly, Richelle lowered herself down onto the arm of the chair Alexis was sat in. "You're right, Alexis." She conceded, apologetically. "We shouldn't be arguing in front of you, like this." Looking up at Skye, the agent softened her face and voice as she addressed the young hacker. "Skye, would you be so kind as to show Alexis to the guest bunk?" She asked, deliberately avoiding the room's actual title. But, unfortunately, Skye didn't seem to be riding the same Subtle Train.

"The...guest bunk?" Skye asked, confused.

"Yes, Skye." Richelle replied, her voice tightening as she fought against the rising frustration. "You know...the bunk that we offer to guests when all the other bunks are _filled_? _That _bunk..." Finally, the agent breathed a mental sigh of relief as she watched realization dawn in the young hacker's eyes.

"Oooohhhh. Right." Skye drawled, finally catching on to what Richelle was trying to do. "The Guest Bunk." She added, playing along. "Of course." Extending her own gloved arm to the younger Castle, she added, playfully. "Ms. Castle."

Alexis knew something was going on that they weren't telling her. But, she couldn't resist a small chuckle as she took Skye's proffered arm. "Shall we?" She asked, light-hearted, as she followed the hacker to the mysterious guest bunk.

Once Alexis was safely out of earshot, Richelle rounded on Ward once again. "I mean it, Grant." She hissed, dangerously. "I know Alexis! I know how to handle her and make her feel _safe_! Did you know that she's _already _been kidnapped once, _**before **_you?! Did you know that she was held hostage in Paris in order to draw out our ex-CIA grandfather?!"

"No." Grant admitted, shamefully, as he hung his head and buried his hands in his pockets. "I didn't know that."

"No." Richelle agreed. "Ya didn't!" She growled. "But I, on the other hand, _**DID **_know that! And, I know how to make her understand that she's done absolutely nothing wrong and that we only need to ask her a few very simple questions! I know how to gain-and **KEEP**-her trust! I could have made this whole clusterfuck a WHOLE lot easier if you'd just let me HANDLE IT!"

"As entertaining as it is to watch mom and dad fight..." Richard injected, stepping between Richelle and Ward. "I seem to remember somebody saying that time was not on our side..." He reminded them. "Can we please get back to business?" He asked in an uncharacteristically mature manner.

Sighing, Richelle conceded "My dad's right. We need to know what Alexis knows-and if she's been infected..." Turning to Leo and Jemma "Fitzsimmons, why don't you and I go talk to her?" She suggested, before turning back to Grant. "And, you..." She stated, warningly. "Stay. The hell. Out of it!" She hissed.

"Understood." Ward replied, blandly. He'd worked with Richelle long enough to know when to listen to her and back off.

Leo and Jemma silently followed Richelle as she left the main area to join Skye and Alexis in The Cage. They, too, knew when to hold their tongues around the senior agent and that they had never seen that level of rage from Richelle. Thus, they knew better than to risk provoking her, further.

* * *

><p>"Homy..." Alexis observed, glancing around the room that had been referred to as 'The Guest Bunk'.<p>

Lightly crossing her arms, Skye knew she couldn't lie to someone like Alexis. At least, not under these circumstances. "Yeah..." She drawled, hesitantly. "Cards on the table...We don't really call this room 'The Guest Bunk'."

"Yeah, I kinda got that from your conversation with Richelle." Alexis replied, smirking at Skye's bewilderment. "Hey, I may not be some badass spy like you or my sister...But, I'm a hell of a lot smarter than I look. I pick up on a lot more than people give me credit for."

"Yeah, I know that feeling." Skye conceded. "And, to be perfectly honest, I'm not actually a spy, yet." She added. Noting the curious tilt of Alexis' head, she elaborated. "I'm still in training."

Before Alexis could question the matter further, there was a knock on the door before Richelle entered, followed closely by Leo and Jemma. "Hey, Alexis." Richelle greeted, smiling warmly at her sister. "Skye been treatin' you okay?"

"Oh, yeah." Skye replied, sarcastically. "It's been a regular slumber party, in here." She added, as Alexis fought desperately to hold back an amused giggle. "We were just about to braid each other's hair and dish about all the dreamiest guys we ever saw!" It was at that point that Alexis lost the fight and the giggles bubbled our of her chest. Even the stoic senior agent had to laugh at the remark.

"As much fun as it may be, to banter with Skye-and, believe me-I can speak from experience when I say that it can get _hysterical_..." Richelle replied, focusing on Alexis. "We really do have some serious business to discuss." She added, sobering up from her laughing spell.

"What kind of business?" Alexis asked, worriedly. "And, why am I here? Why does S.H.I.E.L.D. need to talk to me? I didn't do anything wrong!" She insisted. Watching the lack of change in Richelle's expression, she amended her statement, timidly. "Did I?"

"No, of course not." Richelle replied, warmly, trying to quell some of her sister's worries.

"Then, what the hell is he doing with _that_?!" Alexis demanded as she watched Leo prepping some sort of tool that she'd never seen before and was fairly certain she'd be perfectly content never to find out what it did.

"Really, Leo?!" Richelle snapped, turning to face the engineer. "You couldn't **wait **_two seconds_ for me to read her in before breakin' out the creepy tech shit?!"

"S-Sorry..." Leo stammered, apologetically, as Richelle returned her attention to Alexis.

"Look, Alexis...As I said, before, you're not in any trouble." Richelle reiterated, trying to placate the young red-head. "But, we _do _need to talk to you about your friend, Carlyssa Matthews." She added, gently.

Pacing back and forth, anxiously, Alexis chewed her thumbnail as she processed everything she was hearing. "Carlyssa? What about her? Is _she _in some kind of trouble?"

"_Some _kind..." Leo muttered under her breath before being silenced by a death-glare from Richelle as well as a strategically placed elbow from Jemma. "Ow!" He whined, massaging his injured rib cage.

"Alexis, I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but..." Richelle began, hesitantly. "Carlyssa's dead."

"What?!" Alexis demanded, breathlessly, as she whipped around to face Richelle. "How?! What happened?!"

"Carlyssa died of an alien virus brought to this planet by the Chitauri aliens-" Richelle began, before being cut off.

"The aliens that attacked New York?!" Alexis wondered, aloud. "You mean...They brought some sort of...virus with them?!"

"Unfortunately, yes, they did." Richelle acknowledged. "Now, dad said that you had lunch with Carlyssa, yesterday."

"Yeah, and, she was totally fine!" Alexis insisted. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. There was no way Carlyssa was dead. She just couldn't be.

"That's the unfortunate part of this virus." Richelle explained, gently. "It's extremely quick and efficient in its mission. We've dealt with it, in the past, and it generally runs its course within the span of thirty-eight hours." She elaborated. "That's why Leo and Jemma are here with us, now. Leo's tool is going to be able to tell us if you've been infected with the virus, as well." Seeing the panicked look in her sister's eyes, Richelle decided to head her off at the pass. "_**IF **_you have been, it's okay. Jemma has the formula for the anti-virus which will cure the virus." She added, gently taking Alexis' hand in her own black-gloved one. "You are _not _going to end up like Carlyssa. I promise you that."

Seeing the determination written in her sister's warm doe eyes, Alexis felt marginally better. "Let's do it, then." She replied, finally. Without another word, Richelle backed away and motioned Leo forward.

"Okay, now-ah-this, uh, this...won't hurt a bit-completely non-invasive..." The engineer stammered, anxiously, as he powered on the machine in his hands. "Just, uh...Stand still, a moment..." He instructed nervously, as he passed the scanner up and down the length of Alexis' body while she nodded her understanding of the directions.

Pacing back and forth, across The Cage, Richelle chewed her thumbnail-perfectly mirroring the red-head's previous nervous tick-as she anxiously awaited the test results. The waiting was killing her. Meanwhile, Jemma just watched the whole scene unfold, tensely. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the machine beeped and immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room as all hearts stopped when the lasers-which had previously been green in color-turned blood red.

"What...What does that mean?!" Alexis asked, anxiously.

"It means you've been infected." Richelle deadpanned, never once taking her eyes off of the bright red lasers. Alexis, Leo, Richelle and Jemma all exchanged worried glances. Without another word, Jemma set off toward the lab to set to work on the anti-serum. Deciding he'd rather be anywhere else-in the _**world**_, at that moment-Leo silently followed the bio-chemist, leaving the two sisters alone in The Cage.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**So, I noticed that a couple of you followed this story and one of you even favorited it. But, I'm begging you...If you like it, PLEASE review! I live for reviews! They are the highlight of my day! The wind beneath my wings! But, remember..._**CONSTRUCTIVE**_ criticism is always welcomed! Flames will be used in a bonfire to keep me warm in this Kansas Winter that I swear to GOD is colder than Frosty's ass!

~Skye Coulson


	3. Hurry Up and Save Me

**There Are Few Reasons**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>Y'all oughtta know the drill, by now...

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Family/Drama

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Tiffany Giardina "Hurry Up and Save Me"

* * *

><p><span>Hurry Up and Save Me<span>

* * *

><p><em>Show me your colors | Show me your colors | Show me your colors | 'Cause without you, I'm blue | (Without you, I'm blue)<em>

_Hurry up and save me | Hurry up and save me | Hurry up and save | Hurry up and save me | I just wanna feel alive | And, I do when I'm with you_

* * *

><p>"<em>It means you've been infected." Richelle deadpanned, never once taking her eyes off of the bright red lasers. Alexis, Richelle, Leo and Jemma all exchanged worried glances. Without another word, Jemma set off toward the lab to work on the anti-serum. Deciding he'd rather be anywhere else-in the <strong>world<strong>, at that moment-Leo silently followed the bio-chemist, leaving the two sisters alone in The Cage._

* * *

><p>"Am I gonna end up like Carlyssa?" Alexis asked, fearfully, upon hearing her diagnosis.<p>

Trying to calm her sister, Richelle took the red-head's hands in her own black-gloved ones. "Of course not." She replied, staring directly into Alexis' eyes as she spoke. "I will personally see to that. Jemma's down in the lab, working like a mad-woman, to get your anti-serum ready." The agent explained, gently.

Before another word could be said, either way, there was a hesitant knock on the door before Grant carefully stuck his head inside. "Richelle?" He greeted, still nervous from his previous encounter with the senior agent.

"Yeah, Ward?" Richelle replied, keeping her voice and demeanor. She wasn't an idiot. She knew it was in everybody's best interest to just let bygones be bygones and leave the past alone.

"Simmons needs you in the lab." Grant Ward replied, simply. "Said she needed to talk to you about the anti-serum." He elaborated before offering Alexis an apologetic glance.

"All right." Richelle replied, simply, turning to Alexis. "You gonna be okay for a few minutes?" She asked, warmly.

"I cou-I could...Ya know..." Grant stammered, clumsily. "I could stay with her, if you want..." He offered, before turning to Alexis. "If that's all right with you, that is..."

Intrigued by the specialist's offer, Richelle turned to see the red-head's reaction. "Well, it's your call, Alexis." She offered, shrugging lightly.

"He can stay." Alexis replied, finally, while eying him curiously before turning to Richelle. "Besides, this sounds important. You should go check it out." She elaborated.

Glancing back and forth, between her sister and Ward, Richelle stood as she made her way to the door before stopping to whisper in Grant's ear. "Take care of her." She whispered, dropping her voice low enough that only the specialist would hear. Receiving a curt nod in response, Richelle turned to her sister. "Go easy on him, will ya?" She asked, playfully.

Answering her sister with a playful mock-salute, Alexis replied "Yes, ma'am." Both sisters and Grant all had to share a laugh at that one, before Richelle spoke once more.

"I'll be back, soon..." Richelle stated by way of farewell, before slipping out of the door to the cage.

* * *

><p>"Tell me ya got good news for me, Jems." Richelle declared, entering the lab.<p>

As the bio-chemist looked up at her, she immediately knew she would not like what she was about to hear. "I really wish I could, Richelle..." Jemma offered, lamely. "But, I just completed my autopsy on Carlyssa Matthews..." She began, hesitantly, as her voice trailed off, nervously.

"And..." Richelle prompted. The combination of the waiting and Jemma's uncharacteristic behavior were driving her crazy and if she didn't get some answers, soon, she would completely lose it.

"I'm afraid Ms. Matthews died of a _different _strain of the Chitauri Virus..." Jemma elaborated, finally, bracing herself for the senior agent's reaction.

Richelle studied Jemma for a moment. She wasn't at all certain how to take the news she'd just been given. "Okay..." She began, attempting to digest everything that was thrown at her. "Okay, so...She suffered from a different strain. We still have our anti-serum-"

"Which was designed to fight a different strain of the virus." Jemma interjected, cutting the senior agent off, mid-sentence. "I've already run tests with our current anti-serum against this new strain and it doesn't work. The _anti-serum_ would kill your sister instead of the _virus _killing her..."

Richelle Rogers remained deadly silent as she paced back and forth in the lab while she analyzed everything Jemma had just told her. "You're telling me we're right back at square one?" She asked, a dangerous, unreadable tone in her voice.

"Unfortunately, it would seem so." Jemma replied, bracing herself.

Nodding for seemingly no reason, Richelle continued her never-ending pacing as she fired off her next question. "I don't suppose there's anyway to give us a time-table on this thing?"

"The time-table appears to be the same as the prior version we dealt with..." Jemma explained, still on edge by the senior agent's behavior.

Richelle continued pacing, silently, as she processed everything she was learning. From what Jemma had just told her, they had approximately fourteen hours to figure out a new anti-serum. Just when Jemma thought she could take no more of the senior agent's mysterious and deadly demeanor, Richelle just turned and wordlessly stormed out of the lab.

* * *

><p>"Whoa!" Phil chuckled, lightly, as he nearly ran straight into his partner on her way back to The Cage. "Where's the fire?"<p>

"I don't-I don't have time for this, right now, Phil..." Richelle replied, in an uncharacteristic brush-off as she attempted to fight her way past the other senior agent.

"Hey!" Phil replied, his voice both firmer and warmer at the same time. He knew something was seriously wrong and nobody was going anywhere until he got to the bottom of it. "What's goin' on, 'Chelle?"

Sighing heavily, Richelle knew she wasn't getting out of this without reading Phil in. Plus, he did need to know what they were up against. "I just talked to Jemma..." Richelle replied, finally. "She said Carlyssa Matthews died of a _different _strain of the Chitauri Virus. She told me our current anti-serum won't work against this new strain. Given the previous time-tables, we have approximately fourteen hours to figure out a **new **anti-serum." She elaborated. She really hadn't intended to go on and on the way she had. But, once she'd gotten started, she found it impossible to stop herself.

Taking in everything his partner was throwing at him, rapid-fire, Phil came to a decision. "I'll get the rest of the team together and brief them on the update. You go talk to your sister." He suggested, releasing the arm he'd grabbed in his efforts to stop Richelle from leaving without an explanation.

Thinking it over for a beat, Richelle countered. "Let me brief my dad and Kate, too?"

Understanding the senior agent's need to look out for her family, Phil simply nodded his approval. "Of course."

"Thank you, Phil." Richelle replied, sincerely. She definitely appreciated her partner's understanding nature and his trust in her. Without another word, they both turned and took off in their respective directions.

* * *

><p>"Richelle Hope, what is going on, here?!" Richard Castle demanded when his daughter entered the common area.<p>

"Yeah, why is your team meeting in there and why are we not allowed to be a part of it?!" Kate demanded, just as frustrated as her fiance.

"Because..." Richelle interjected, halting any further verbal assaults. "I asked Phil to allow me to brief the two of you, seperately."

"Why couldn't we just join in the meeting?" Richard questioned, still at a complete loss as to what the hell was going on.

"Because, this briefing consists of highly personal subject matter and I felt it best that I talk to the two of you about it, privately." Richelle explained, drawing a steadying breath as she decided to just rip the band-aid off and be done with it. "I just spoke with Jemma, down in the lab...She finished her autopsy on Carlyssa Matthews...It appears that Ms. Matthews died of a _different _strain of the Chitauri Virus than we've previously dealt with..."

"Wait, so what does that mean?" Kate asked, feeling herself slipping into Detective Beckett.

"It means, Kate..." Richelle began, regretfully. Her voice and body language told her father and his fiance that they would not like the news they were about to receive. "...that the current anti-serum that we have, for this virus, won't work..."

"So, what?!" Richard demanded, rapidly losing his composure. "We just sit around here and wait for Alexis to die, like her friend?! Because lemme tell ya somethin'-"

"That's not what I'm saying, dad!" Richelle snapped, effectively silencing her father's tirade. "All I'm saying that this is a minor setback..." She added, more gently. "We still have approximately fourteen hours to figure out a new anti-serum. Jemma devised the current one with only **two **hours to work with..." She explained, her exterior belying the panic she was rather successfully internalizing.

"You're _absolutely __**certain **_that Jemma can fix this, in time?" Richard asked. When it came to his daughters, he left absolutely **nothing **to chance.

"Phil said it best when we dealt with this virus, the first time around..." Richelle began, with an almost genuinely confident smile plastered on her face. "'There is only one person on this plane capable of finding a solution for this'..." Richelle paused to stare directly into her father's eyes and took his hands in hers as she finished her thought. "...'and, I'm willing to bet my life that she will'...Those were _his_ exact words, **then**, and they're _mine_, **right now**."

* * *

><p>Without even bothering to knock, Richelle stormed into The Cage, interrupting Alexis and Grant as they seemed to be sharing a laugh over something. As nice as it was to see a genuine smile on the specialist's usually stoic countenance, Richelle knew she needed to get down to business.<p>

"Everything okay, 'Chelle?" Alexis asked, curiously, when she saw her sister's body language.

"Ward, Coulson needs you in the conference room A.S.A.P." Richelle replied, curtly, directing her attention to the specialist.

"You comin', too?" Ward asked, curiously, as he made his way to the door.

"I need to brief Alexis." Richelle explained, taking a seat on the bunk next to her sister. "Coulson has an update for you and the rest of the team as well. You go ahead." She added, all but shooing him out the door.

"All right..." Grant nodded, before turning to Alexis. "Catch ya later, Alexis." He offered by way of farewell while waving to the red-head as he took his leave.

"So, what's goin' on, 'Chelle?" Alexis asked, curiously, once Grant had left the room.

"Look, Alexis..." Richelle began, hesitantly. "There's something I need to tell you and I need you to let me get through it because it's...not exactly easy for me to say..." Watching as her sister silently nodded for her to continue, she began to elaborate her on what she'd learned in the lab with Jemma. "Jemma performed an autopsy on your friend, Carlyssa, and she found that...Carlyssa died of a different strain of the virus than we previously dealt with...which means that our current anti-serum won't work..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**Okay, I know I'm a horrible person for leaving this on a cliff-hanger. But, I've had an emotionally draining couple of days and I seriously need some sleep. But, I promise to try to get the next chapter up, sometime, tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this little offering.

~Skye Coulson


	4. What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

**There Are Few Reasons**

**Disclaimer:  
><strong>As always, I own nothing...Well...except for Richelle Rogers and Carlyssa Matthews.

**Rating:  
><strong>T

**Genre:  
><strong>Family/Drama

**Lyrics Used:  
><strong>Glee Cast "What Doesn't Kill You" (originally recorded by Kelly Clarkson, but, I only have the Glee Cast's version on my computer, therefore, that was the version I decided to go with for this chapter)

* * *

><p><span>What Doesn't Kill You Make You Stronger<span>

* * *

><p><em>What doesn't kill you makes you stronger | Stand a little taller | Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone | What doesn't kill you makes a fighter | Footsteps even lighter | Doesn't mean I'm over 'cause you're gone<em>

* * *

><p>"<em>Look, Alexis..." Richelle began hesitantly. "There's something I need to tell you and I need you to let me get through it, because it's...not exactly easy for me to say..." Watching as her sister silently nodded for her to continue, she began to elaborate on what she'd learned in the lab with Jemma. "Jemma performed an autopsy on your friend, Carlyssa, and she found that...Carlyssa died of a different strain of the virus than we previously dealt with...which means that our current anti-serum won't work..."<em>

* * *

><p>Leaping from her seat, Alexis began to pace anxiously as she processed everything Alexis was telling her. "So...what, then? We just sit around here and wait for me to die, like Carlyssa?!" She screeched, anxiously.<p>

Rising from her own seat, Richelle reached out with her black-gloved hands to placated her sister. "Absolutely _not_...Jemma is down in the lab, right now, working feverishly on a new anti-serum. And, this is the woman that created the _first _anti-serum in just two hours. Now, we have _seven times _that amount of time to work with." Once she saw that her sister was completely calmed, Richelle softened her voice as she looked Alexis straight in the eye. "Look...It's like I told dad and Kate...Phil said it best when we dealt with this virus, the first time...'There is only one person on this plane that can find a solution for this...And, I'm willing to bet my life, that she will.'" When that seemed to get through to the young red-head, Richelle added one last piece of business that still needed to be addressed. "But, there may be something you can do to _help _Jemma figure this out..."

"What's that?!" Alexis asked, excitedly. "Tell me...I'll do anything, whatever it takes..." She added.

Grinning slightly, Richelle replied "Easy, tiger...Just tell me...This sort of virus transmits from person-to-person via electrostatic shock. But, it always originates from a piece of Chitauri..._something_..." Richelle struggled to find the right words. "Be it a helmet, a bracelet..._something _Chitauri..." She elaborated.

Alexis paused to think back for a moment before realization dawned on her face. "Oh! The day before yesterday, Carlyssa sent me a picture of this awesome bracelet she'd bought at a local flea-market, that day!" She replied, anxiously, fishing through her pocket for her phone. "Here!" She offered, extending the phone to Richelle.

"Alexis..." Richelle began, as an excited smile spread across her face while she looked at the picture. "Your friend was a friggin' _GENIUS_ for sending you this picture! And, so are you for _keeping _it!" She declared, as she began to make a swift and silent exit. Reaching the door, one last thought crossed her mind. "Oh!...You mind if I take this for a bit? Just until we find the bracelet?!"

"Sure!" Alexis smiled. "The bracelet's probably in Carlyssa's apartment, since she didn't get to wear it to lunch, yesterday, after not finding the right outfit to go with it. Her address is in the phone." She explained.

Smiling gratefully, Richelle replied "Thanks, Alexis." And, with that, she was gone.

* * *

><p>Barging into the conference room, Richelle scarcely noticed the startled looks from her teammates. "Phil!" She called, drawing her partner's attention. "I may have a lead..." She added, holding up the phone in her hand. "Alexis told me that Carlyssa sent her a picture, the day before yesterday, of a bracelet she'd bought at a flea-market. The bracelet looks to be Chitauri." She explained, passing the phone to Phil.<p>

"Looks like you're right." Phil surmised, studying the picture on the phone in his hands.

"Did Alexis happen to know where we might be able to find this bracelet, now?" Jemma asked, hopefully. "It might just have the Chitauri DNA I need to make the new anti-serum."

"She said it's probably in Carlyssa's apartment." Richelle replied, turning her attention to Jemma. "She also told me the address in her phone." She added, pointing to the phone in her partner's hands.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?!" Grant injected, anxiously. "Let's go get the bracelet!"

"What about Alexis?" Richelle asked, somewhat worriedly. "I don't wanna just run off and leave her alone." She elaborated. "I actually already feel kinda bad about leaving her alone long enough to come in here and give you guys this information..."

"We can stay with her." Richard offered, stepping into the conference room with Kate close behind him.

Exchanging concerned glances with the rest of her team, Richelle had to admit that she knew her father and Kate would never take no for an answer. Just like she also knew they were seriously low on options, at the moment. Sighing lightly, she reached into a cabinet at her feet. "Just make sure you both wear these at _all times_." She warned, firmly, as she handed them each a pair of the same black gloves the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents had been wearing.

"Really?" Kate asked, sarcastically.

"I've already told you guys." Richelle sighed, impatiently. "This virus passes from person-to-person through electrostatic shock. These will protect you from the shocks that will infect you." She explained.

Finally accepting the gloves and placing them on their hands, Rick and Kate bid their goodbyes to the team as they made their way down to The Cage while the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents took off toward their vehicles to set off in search of the bracelet.

* * *

><p>"Dad?" Alexis greeted, curiously. "Kate? What are you guys doing here?"<p>

"Well, Richelle didn't want to leave you alone, so, we offered to stay with you." Rick explained, lightly.

"I take it they all left to go look for Carlyssa's bracelet?" The red-head surmised.

"Yes, but, I'm sure they'll be back and this whole mess will be over and done with before you know it." Kate offered, reassuringly.

* * *

><p>"Can I help you all?" A middle-aged man asked, accusingly, when he noticed a bunch of strangers breaking into one of his tenants' apartments. "You can't do that!"<p>

"My name is Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D." Phil introduced himself, as he flashed the landlord his badge. "Do you know a young woman by the name of Carlyssa Matthews?"

"Yeah, what about her?" The landlord demanded.

"She's dead." Richelle replied, bluntly, before pulling out her own badge. "Agent Rogers." She deadpanned. "Carlyssa Matthews died of a virus and we have reason to believe there may be a piece of evidence inside her apartment that could help us help another young woman."

"_Another _woman?" The landlord, asked, curiously.

"My half-sister." Richelle deadpanned. "She's been infected with the same virus that killed Ms. Matthews. And, we have reason to believe that there is an artifact within Ms. Matthews' apartment which will help us find a cure for the virus."

"If left unaddressed, this virus could very easily cause an epidemic." Phil injected, tersely.

"Which is why it's so imperative that we find that artifact." Ward added, tersely.

Glancing around the group of agents before him, they all seemed legit. "Okay." The landlord conceded, as he fished the master key out of his pocket. "Just try not to leave too much of a mess. I gotta find a new tenant quick if I'm gonna make up the missed rent."

"Right." Skye sneered, in a uncharacteristically dark tone. "We'll bear that in mind."

Once they'd gained entry into the apartment, the entire team set to work searching for the bracelet. "Phil and I can the bedroom...Ward, you and May the living room...Skye, you search the living room..." Richelle instructed as the team split off into their respective directions.

"Hang in there, Alexis..." Skye sighed, taking in the sight of the cluttered living room. "This could take a while..." She mumbled as she began digging through the pile of magazines on the coffee table.

* * *

><p>In the bedroom, Richelle had begun digging through the jewelry box and vanity while Phil had taken to digging through the dressers and nightstands. "Think we're ever gonna be able to find the bracelet in this mess?" Phil asked, sarcastically.<p>

"Got it." Richelle declared, victoriously, as she withdrew the bracelet from the jewelery box it had been ensconced in.

"How _do _you do it?" Phil asked, in wonder, as he crossed the room to stand at his partner's side with his hand resting lightly on the small of her back.

"Woman's intuition." Richelle replied, smugly as she as bagged the bracelet to take back to The Bus. "A woman can _always _find _any _piece of jewelry _anywhere_..."

* * *

><p>"Oh, Jemma!" Richelle called out, in a sing-song voice, as she entered the lab.<p>

"Yes, Agent Rogers?" Jemma called, cautiously, as she looked up from what she'd been working on.

"I believe you were needing this..." The senior agent declared, proudly.

"You got the bracelet!" Jemma squealed, excitedly, snatching the bag from the senior agent's grasp.

"Yep." Richelle smiled, victoriously. "I'm gonna go tell Alexis the good news." She added, as she started to take her leave. "Oh! And, give her back her phone!" She amended, quickly.

* * *

><p>"How's everyone doing?" Richelle greeted, smiling, as she joined her family in The Cage.<p>

"Back so soon?" Richard Castle asked his daughter, playfully.

"Yeah, what can I say?" Richelle joked, joining her sister on the bunk. "Things run a lot smoother and more efficiently when you divide and conquer." She reasoned. "And, yes, we found the bracelet."

"That's great!" Kate replied, smiling. "So, you'll be able to make the anti-serum, then?"

"Yeah, just as soon as Jemma figures out a new formula that works." Richelle replied, confidently.

"How much time do we have left?" Richard asked, cautiously.

Checking her watch, Richelle replied "Mmm...'Bout ten hours..."

"You think that'll be enough time?" Kate asked, curiously.

"There's not a doubt in my mind." Richelle never even flinched under the scrutiny. "Like I already said, Jemma figured out the first anti-serum in only _**two **_hours. She has _five times_ that, now. This shouldn't be a problem for her."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<br>**I hope you all enjoyed this little offering! I can't promise when the next chapter'll be up, but, I'll try to have it up, soon, since we just had a major snow storm that isn't even over, yet. I may or may not go to work, tomorrow. So, that may give me a chance to get some extra writing done. Though, I may end up working on one of my other stories. I haven't decided, yet. It's all up to the creative monkeys in my head.

~Skye Coulson


End file.
